The Samyutta Nikaya
The Grouped Discourses
Samyutta Nikaya III.24
Issattha Sutta
Archery Skills
Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
At Savatthi. As he was sitting to one side, King
Pasenadi Kosala said to the Blessed One: "Where, lord, should a
gift be given?"
"Wherever the mind feels confidence, great
king."
"But a gift given where, lord, bears great
fruit?"
"This [question] is one thing, great king --
'Where should a gift be given?' -- while this -- 'A gift given where bears
great fruit?' -- is something else entirely. What is given to a virtuous
person -- rather than to an unvirtuous one -- bears great fruit. In that
case, great king, I will ask you a counter-question. Answer as you see
fit.
"What do you think, great
king? There is the case where you have a war at hand, a battle imminent. A
noble-warrior youth would come along -- untrained, unpracticed,
undisciplined, undrilled, fearful, terrified, cowardly, quick to flee.
Would you take him on? Would you have any use for a man like that?"
"No, lord, I wouldn't take him on. I wouldn't have
any use for a man like that."
"Then a brahman youth...a merchant youth...a
laborer youth would come along -- untrained, unpracticed, undisciplined,
undrilled, fearful, terrified, cowardly, quick to flee. Would you take him
on? Would you have any use for a man like that?"
"No, lord, I wouldn't take him on. I wouldn't have
any use for a man like that."
"Now, what do you think, great king? There is the
case where you have a war at hand, a battle imminent. A noble-warrior
youth would come along -- trained, practiced, disciplined, drilled,
fearless, unterrified, not cowardly, not quick to flee. Would you take him
on? Would you have any use for a man like that?"
"Yes, lord, I would take him on. I would have use
for a man like that."
"Then a brahman youth...a merchant youth...a
laborer youth would come along -- trained, practiced, disciplined,
drilled, fearless, unterrified, not cowardly, not quick to flee. Would you
take him on? Would you have any use for a man like that?"
"Yes, lord, I would take him on. I would have use
for a man like that."
"In the same way, great king. When someone has
gone forth from the home life into homelessness -- no matter from what
clan -- and he has abandoned five factors and is endowed with five, what
is given to him bears great fruit.
"And which five factors has he
abandoned? He has abandoned sensual desire...ill will...sloth &
drowsiness...restlessness & anxiety...uncertainty. These are the five
factors he has abandoned. And with which five
factors is he endowed? He is endowed with the aggregate of virtue of one
beyond training...the aggregate of concentration of one beyond
training...the aggregate of discernment of one beyond training...the
aggregate of release of one beyond training...the aggregate of knowledge
& vision of release of one beyond training. These are the five factors
with which he is endowed.
"What is given to one who has abandoned five
factors and is endowed with five factors in this way bears great
fruit."
That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that,
the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:
"As a king intent on battle
would hire a youth
in whom there are
archery skills,
persistence,
& strength,
and not, on the basis of birth,
a
coward;
so, too, you should honor
a person of noble conduct, wise,
in whom are established
composure
& patience,
even though
his birth may be lowly.
Let donors build
pleasant hermitages
and there invite the learned to stay.
Let them make reservoirs
in dry forests
and walking paths
where it's rough
Let them, with a clear, calm awareness,
give food, drink, snacks,
clothing, & lodgings
to those who've become
straightforward.
Just as a hundred-peaked,
lightning-garlanded,
thundering cloud,
raining on the fertile earth,
fills the plateaus & gullies,
even so
a person of conviction & learning,
wise,
having stored up provisions,
satisfies wayfarers
with food & drink.
Delighting in distributing alms,
'Give to them!
Give!'
he says.
That
is his thunder,
like a raining cloud's.
That shower of merit,
abundant,
rains back on the one
who gives."
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